Barker
by CharlotteDove113
Summary: The Judge doesn't see Lucy on that fateful day in the market. Benjamin is never arrested, Lucy is never raped and Johanna remains with her parents. So what is it that turns kind, loving, husband and father Benjamin Barker into the sadistic serial killer, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street?
1. Chapter 1

"Lucy, darling, are you quite alright?" The concerned Benjamin asked his wife.

"It's just a bug, nothing to fret over sweetheart," came her lit of a reply.

"Well, you rest today and I'll head into the market to get some flowers, I'll bring Johanna as well, the ride could get her over for her nap," Benjamin told Lucy with a smile.

"You are an angel sent from heaven," Lucy's blue eyes glittered back at him.

"I've only ever met one angel, and she sits before me now," Benjamin leaned down to kiss his wife which she whole heartedly returned.

When they eventually pulled away, Benjamin stood up and made for the door.

"I'll be back soon, do try to get to sleep, I love you," he said back to her.

"I love you too," Lucy replied before her husband left the room.

Benjamin made his way down the rickety stairs of the pie shop to the crib where his daughter slept, she lay awake, almost like she was waiting for someone. She giggled a childish giggle when her father came into view.

"Hello sweetie poppet," Benjamin cooed at Johanna. She waved her tiny legs and fists in the air, begging to be picked up, which her father happily obliged. He bounced her around and lifted her high in the air while she shrieked with joy.

"Looks like you were always destined to be a father, Mr Baker," his landlady, Mrs Lovett had entered the room and had watched the display of fatherly affection, but deep down secretly wished he was her husband and was spinning round their child.

"I hope I can be a good father to her," he replied, kissing Johanna's soft blonde tuffs of hair.

"Yourself and Miss Lucy are the best parents anyone could ask for," she smiled but inside she was fuming, how she hated Lucy so, if she wasn't there then maybe she would have had a chance with Benjamin.

"Thank you, Mrs Lovett, you're a good friend to me, I'm going out to get some flowers for the parlour, just to brighten up the room, Lucy has a bug of some kind and will be staying in bed. Please take care of her while I'm gone, just for an hour or two, I know how busy you must be," Benjamin might as well have been asking her to rummage through the bins to find just the right kind of rotten eggs, and she would have done it. She would do anything for him, anything, she would kill for him and she would die for him. But he saw only his Lucy, his childhood sweetheart. He was blind to Mrs Lovett's affection toward him.

"I'll do my best, Mr Barker; bring me back a bag of flour will you?" She asked.

"Of course," he replied with a merry smile. After multiple failed attempts he managed to force Johanna into her bonnet while she squirmed. He plonked her into her pram and off he went on him merry way, leaving Mrs Lovett with the one person she despised the most.


	2. Chapter 2

Benjamin turned into the market, pushing Johanna's pram in front of him. He smiled down at his bubbly daughter, who was acting way to excited to be buying flowers for her father's barber shop, but Benjamin was grateful for her.

He stopped walking and picked her up, out of the pram and wandered over to the flower stall.

"Do you like the flowers, Johanna?" He asked his daughter. Johanna replied with a clap of her childish hands and a giggle, gripping tight to her father's light brown lapel.

Benjamin picked up a daisy, supporting Johanna with one arm; he twirled the flower in front of her, making her giggle. He pulled her doll from her pram and shook it at her as she clapped her tiny hands together.

"Let's get a bunch of these, and then get back to mamma," Benjamin said as he scooped up a bunch of flowers.

He turned to put Johanna in her pram only to ram right into a heap of a man, he wore a bright scarlet suit and white ruffles with gold lining. He had hair to brown to be red and to red to be brown. He had a pointed nose and cheekbones you could cut paper with.

"Pardon me sir, I wasn't looking where I was going," Benjamin stammered clutching his daughter close to his chest.

"That's alright, I know who you are, Benjamin Barker, the greatest barber on god's earth," the man replied with a sly tone.

"That is gracious of you, sir," Benjamin said.

"My name is Rupert Turpin," the man was a few inches taller than Benjamin was and had to look down at him.

"Judge Turpin," Benjamin said startled, "Please accept my humblest apologises, your honour."

"Come now, Barker, we all make mistakes, it won't be happening again, I trust?" Turpin enquired with a look of danger in his cloudy grey eyes.

"No, mi lord, absolutely not," Benjamin assured.

"You own the establishment on Fleet Street if I'm not mistaken?"

"You're not, I live and work there with my wife," Benjamin seemed to be getting more and more nervous the more questions Judge Turpin rammed down his throat.

"You're married, sir?" Turpin said as if it was a surprise.

"Yes, mi lord, to Miss Lucy Graham of Plymouth," Benjamin stated the proud fact.

"And who is this?" Judge Turpin motioned to the baby squirming in her father's arms.

"This is Johanna, my daughter." Benjamin kissed the top of his daughter's hair as if to say "it's okay, the scary man will be gone soon."

"What a charming child, well Mr Barker, I need to stop by your shop soon, to see your spectacular work for myself."

"You'll be most welcome, Judge Turpin and I guarantee to give you without a penny's charge, the closest shave you will ever know," Benjamin smiled at him.

Turpin didn't smile back, but merely brushed past the pair of them and went on his way; Benjamin placed his daughter back into her pram and sped off back home as fast as he could. He didn't need to look behind him to know that the Judge was staring after him.


End file.
